Adjustable journal wedge



1,643,326 G. L. WEBB I ADJUSTABLE JOURNAL WEDGE Sept. 27 1927.

Filed May 14. 1926 Qttow m 0 Patented Sept. 27, 1927. I,

"UNITED STATES GEORGE L. WEBB, or SPENCER; ironrir CAROLINA.

ADJUSTABLE JOURNAL WEDGE.

Application filed. May 14, 1926. Serial No. 109,134.

This invention relates to an adjustable cap or wedge plate for thejournals of railway cars and the like.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that the journal boxes usedin the construction of railway cars are cast and, consequently, itfrequently occurs that these boxes vary slightly in transverse area andin the posltions of the side lugs provided for the attaching bolts. As aresult of these slight differences it has been found that when thebrasses are positioned in the housings and upon the journals one axle ofa truck 1s not exactly parallel with the other axle or axles but issometimes as much as three-eighths of an inch out of proper position atone end. If the axles are not exactly parallel the wheels supporting theaxle which is not properly positioned will be maintained at an acuteangle relative to the sides of the supporting rails during the forwardmovement of the truck and, as a result, the flange of one of the wheelswill receive twice the wear to which it would ordinarily be subjectedand, consequently, considerable expense 1S entailed in redressing orturning the wheels and ultimately replacing them.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means whereby anyvariations in the relative positions of a pair of journal boxes can becompensated for very readily so that the axle .propecting into theseboxes will be maintained parallel with the other axle or axles eventhough the boxes may not be accurately alined.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit oftheinvention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a journal box showing the partstherein in plan.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the journal box showing the partstherein in elevation.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33, Figure 1.

Figure 4: is. a plan view of the brass conreference 1 designates ajournal box of the usual construction provided at the sides with ears 2for the reception of bolts or the like employed for fastening thejournal box to the truck. Formed upon the inner surfaces of the sides ofthis journal box are bearing lugs 3., A portion of an axle has beenindicated at 4 and the end portion thereof supports a brass 5 the sideportions of which converge upwardly as at 6. Lugs 7 are extendedlaterally from the brass and project into engagement with the outersides of the lugs 3. A cap or wedge plate 8 is mounted on the brass 5and has a recess 9 in its lower face the sides of which divergedownwardly. Thisrecess is adapted to receive the upper portion of thebrass 5. Ordinarily the cap orwedge plate 8, formed in one piece, isadapted to abut against and be guided by the lugs 3 but obviously wherethe boxes are not properly alined, such an arrangement prevents the axlefrom being disposed parallel with the other axle or axles of the. sametruck. H

For the purpose of allowing adjustment of the brass and properpositioning of the axle, a wear plate 10 is connected to each slde ofthe cap or wedge plate 8 by means of screws 11 entering the sides of thecap or wedge plate. These wear plates 10 may be positioned normallywithin recesses 13 formed in the sides of the cap or wedge plate 8. VVhere the lugs 8 are spaced apart excessive distances, however, as shownfor example in Figures 1 and 8, shims 14 can be positioned between thewear plates and the sides of the cap or wedge plate 8, each of theseshims being formed with slots 15 so that the stem can be inserteddownwardly between the wear plates and the cap or wedge plate 8 andstraddle the screws 11. After the shims have thus been positioned thescrews are tightened and if the shims are of the proper thickness thewear plates will thus be held close to the lugs 3. Under somecircumstances it is necessary, in order to hold the axle parallel withthe other axle or axles of the truck to remove the shim 14 from back ofone of the wear plates and, under other conditions, it is advisable tohave two shims back of one wear plate and no of the truck and the dragupon one or more otthe supporting wheels resulting from non'alinement'oi' journal boxes will be entirely eliminated. Thus wear uponthe wheels will be greatly reducedand the cost of maintenancecorrespondingly lessened.

'Whatis claimed is: p

1. The combination with a journal box of a railway car having opposedbearing lugs therein, ot; a brass centering member interposed betweenthe lugs and means carried by the respective side portions of saidmember for holding the member at predetermined d'istances from therespective lugs.

2. The combination with a journal box of a railway car having opposedguide lugs therein, of a brass centering member extending "between thelugs, a wear plate connected to one side of said member, and spacingmeans interposed between the member and the wear plate, said wear platebeing posi tioned for sliding engagement with one of the lugs.

3. The combination with a journal'box of a railway carhaving opposedbearing lugs therein, of a brass centering member mounted for movementbetween the lugs, a wear plate detachably and adjustably connected toone side of said member for sl'iding engagement with the adjacent lug,and a shim insertable between said plate and member.

4. The combination with a journal box of a railway car having opposedbearing lugs therein, of a brass centering member extending between thelugs, wear plates detachably and adjustably connected to the sidesthereof for sliding engagement with the lugs, and means insertablebetween said member and one of the Wear plates for holding the memberagainst lateral shifting relative to the journal box after adjustment ofsaid member to a the box.

The combination with a journal box of a rail-way car having opposedbearing lugs therein, of a brass centering member between the lugsmovable laterally to a predetermined position relative to the lugs, andmeans carried by said member for holding it properly spaced from thelugs subsequent to said adjustment. j

The combination with a journal box of a railway car having opposedbearing lugs therein, of a brass centering member between the lugsmovable laterally to a predetermined position relative to the lugs, andmeans carried by said member for holding it properly spaced from thelugs subsequentto said adjustment, said means including wear platesadjustably and detachably connected to the member and spacing means forcooperating with said member and the wear plates. i In test'imony'that 1claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alfixed my signature.GEORGE L. WEBB.-

predetermined position within

